An iconic 63-year-old Melbourne venue which has played host to The Beatles, Frank Sinatra and Lorde is given heritage protection, posing challenges to plans by its owners for a major redevelopment.

I’m very pleased to say the dreaded chicken wire, as we call it, has also been removed from between the seating areas and the floor. ... The Beatles, on stage at Melbourne’s Festival Hall in 1964.

An exceedingly rare seating arrangement at Hamer Hall will see Melbourne party people take it out on the dance floor with Eddie Palmieri's Latin Jazz Septet on June 10.